Why have you been out of work so long?

HR Interview
Points to remember before you answer this interview question:
  • Imagine that you are right now seated in front of the HR manager.
  • Kindly answer this question as best you can.
  • Post your answer now.
Answers:
117 posts Page 1 of 12.

Deepti said:   6 years ago
There were times in my life which needed my presence and full attention. Instead to having an unbalanced professional and personal life I decided to take a break considering the priorities at that point of time. I believe I have done what I could, and now I consider my career as my top priority and decided to restart my career.
(93)

Punit Kumar said:   5 years ago
Friends I have read many of the answers given here. Sharing my real-life situation and reasons for leaving and trying to make a comeback in IT.

Answer: I was out of work or say the IT industry for both personal and professional reasons, though both were interrelated. Since the beginning of my career in IT, I always wanted to try something of my own. I worked in IT to raise capital but wasn't sure when to take the next step. Then 2. 5 years ago, I was in the middle of a situation where my grandmother was living alone in my hometown and as she is in her 80's she doesn't want to leave the hometown and live with us in Bangalore. This is when I decided to go to my hometown to take care of her and also trying out something of my own. I started a stockbroker office with one of my cousin and made a decent profit for a living.

Now, my dad is retired and has come to take care of my grandmother and with time I have also realized that to grow in career there is nothing better for me than the IT industry and so I am here again in search of a job.

Friends do tell if I can go ahead with the honest reason? I will be attending interviews soon. Your likes and dislikes will be sufficient for me for a review.
(92)

Priyanshi said:   8 years ago
I had a family problem. There is a need of my personal attention on that. Now the problem settled. Now I am well for enhancing my skills, and also to do the regular works with no personal issues.
(76)

Vinita said:   9 years ago
I got married and then I spend some time to attach to my new family. Because I think professional and personal life must balanced. Now, to achieve my professional goals its the right time to join somewhere.
(75)

Kavin kumar said:   7 years ago
To be honest after getting out from college in 2016 I have attend three interviews but I was not able to get through. My parents wanted me to get into banking sector as most of my relatives are in banking. But I know that's not my field. Due to my parents compulsion I have joined a banking training institute where I have wasted four months. At last I just told my father that I Don't belong to banking sector and I wanted to get into technical field. And I am here right now.
(59)

Murmu said:   3 years ago
Well sir, I was preparing myself for the competitive exams. That's why I have been out of work for so long.

And nowadays the financial condition is my family is very poor. That's why I am trying to get a chance at your company. And help my family out of this condition.
(56)

Sruthi said:   9 years ago
I'm a fresher. Till I'm not working in any organisation. Present as per my financial problems I would like to work in a well-reputed company. And I should see my family as a happy.
(54)

Ashish roy said:   9 years ago
Well, I had been working in one of the organisation for three years but due to some family problem I had to resign my previous organisation. Thereafter it took a long time to recover everything in normal shape. As I now realised that every is going well. During the break, I kept on improving my skills and communication. Now I think I am more organised, better decision maker, emotional stable to perform to job efficiency.
(50)

Krishnaswamy said:   9 years ago
Okay here's a question:

INTERVIEWER: Why have you been out of work so long?

(your reason may dump, don't say that, next time try my answer) "tell me the review".

YOU: I had to take a leave of absence for a personal issue,

INTERVIEWER: Will you explain more?

YOU: I prefer to leave at that. It was a personal issue and now it's resolved.

(you are on safer side).
(44)

Dawn said:   9 years ago
While I was working, I found myself battling with the decision of whether I should specialise or generalise; this lead to a lot of confusion for me as I was in an industry that success is rewarded more if you are a generalist and yet my strong points where in me specialising and hence my achievements were overlooked. For a person who has entered the industry straight from graduate school, it was frustrating to watch people for much fewer achievements achieve the success you were working hard for with such ease.

I ended up have depression problem that affected my work output; to me, at that time, taking time off work to nurse myself to health seem like the most rational choice.

I have used the time off to find my foundation and motivation so that I would be able to handle such situations more effectively as I grow in my career. I believe now I'm a more mature adult and I am able to view a situation from the correct lenses. I am now ready to go back to the corporate world.
(44)


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